Aragog's Lair

Location information

Location

Permanent residents

Affiliation

"Craning his neck sideways, he realised that they had reached the ridge of a vast hollow, a hollow that had been cleared of trees, so that the stars shone brightly on the worst scene he had ever laid eyes on.... Spiders the size of carthorses, eight-eyed, eight-legged, black, hairy, gigantic. The massive specimen that was carrying Harry made its way down the steep slope towards a misty, domed web in the very centre of the hollow, while its fellows closed in all around it, clicking their pincers excitedly at the sight of its load."

Contents

History

Early history

As an egg, Aragog was brought to Scotland in the 1940s by a traveller, and soon came into the possession of Rubeus Hagrid. For some time, he was kept hidden in the basement of Hogwarts. However, Tom Riddle, requiring a scapegoat to disguise the fact that he had opened the Chamber of Secrets, framed Aragog as Slytherin's monster, and Aragog was forced to flee into the Forbidden Forest. There, he presumably found this hollow and began work on making it his home. Eventually, Hagrid provided Aragog with his mate Mosag, and the two would begin a colony here.[2]

On the advice of Hagrid, Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley unwittingly travelled towards Aragog's Lair on 24 May, only knowing that they were "following the spiders". Nearing the place, a young Acromantula encounters them and brings the two before Aragog. Out of respect for Hagrid, Aragog explains to Harry and Ron of his past, related what little he knew about the Chamber of Secrets by giving the two a small clue of its resident monster, and refrained from personally attacking them, however, he did nothing to prevent his colony from attacking them after their conversation was over. Harry and Ron were saved by the timely arrival of the Weasleys' old car, which carried them out into a safer part of the forest.[2]

"Hermione was not taking the path they had followed to visit Grawp, but the one he had followed three years ago to the lair of the monster Aragog. Hermione had not been with him on that occasion; he doubted she had any idea what danger lay at the end of it."